Lasting machine



July 5, 1966 A. WEINSCHENK 3,258,799

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 3

INVENTOR y 1966 A. WEINSCHENK 3,258,799

LASTING MACHINE Filed May 10, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United States Patent Ofi ice 3,258,799 Patented July 5, 1966 3,258,799 LASTING MACHINE Albert Weinschenk, Senlberg, Germany, assignor to Eugen G. Henkel, Nen-Isenbnrg, Germany, a firm of Germany Filed May 10, 1965, Ser. No. 454,359 Claims. (Cl. 12-12) The present invention relates to a lasting machine which is provided with wipers for lasting the front part of a shoe, and with further lasting tools which consist of extensions of the wipers and are adapted to be pivoted together with the wipers from an initial position adjacent to the last to a working position in which they overlap the bottom of the last and the insole of the shoe thereon. These wiper extensions serve as supports of leaf springs, each of which has a working arm which extends from the inner edge of the wiper extension facing the last toward the outer edge thereof at an acute angle to the side of the wiper extension facing the bottom of the last when the lasting tools are pivoted inwardly. During this movement of the lasting tools, these leaf springs are adapted to fold the material of the upper over the bottom of the last and to press it firmly thereon.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a lasting machine of the type as described above which is adjustable so as to permit shoes with a diiferent shank slope, that is, with a ditferent angle of their shanks relative to the surface of the soles, to be lasted in such a manner that the material of the upper of each shoe will be pressed so firmly against the insole that the lasting margin will be glued permanently together with the insole.

For attaining this object, the invention provides that, when the lasting tools are in their initial position, the leaf springs may be adjusted so as to vary the angle between the working arm of each leaf spring and the wiper extension. The greater the slope of the shank of a shoe is to be made, the greater must also be the slope to which the working arm of each leaf spring must be adjusted. The leaf springs may according to the invention be designed so that, due to their inherent tension, their working arms will adjust themselves automatically to the position which corresponds to the maximum slope of the shank of any shoe which is to be expected in actual practice. If a shoe with a smaller shank slope is to be lasted, the invention provides that the rear ends of the springs may be drawn toward the rear of the wiper extensions, whereby the angle between the working arms of the springs and the plane of the wiper extensions will be reduced accordingly. The working arm of each spring is for this purpose extended toward the rear by a spring part which is bent downwardly toward the wiper extension and then extends to and beyond the rear edge thereof. The rear end portion of each spring passes through a guide element which is connected to the wiper extension, and the rear end of the spring which projects from the guide element is provided with a device which permits the distance to be adjusted which the spring may be drawn forwardly from the guide element when the lasting tools are in their initial position.

The above-mentioned as well as further features and advantages of the present invention will become more clearly apparent from the following detailed description thereof which is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a top view of the lasting tools of a lasting machine according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 shows a cross section which is taken along the line II-II of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a cross section which is taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 shows a cross section which is taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 1; while FIGURE 5 shows a view of the lasting tools as seen in the direction of the arrow A in FIGURE 1.

In the drawings, the two wipers 1 for lasting the front part of a shoe carry angular wiper extensions 2 which are pivotably connected to the Wipers by means of pivot pins 3. These wiper extensions may therefore carry out a pivoting movement independently of and relative to the wipers 1 in the direction toward the last 6, which is located between the lasting tools. The arm 2' of each wiper extension 2 is for this purpose provided with a roller 5 which is mounted thereon by a bolt 4 and is acted upon by a driving mechanism, not shown, which does not constitute a part of the present invention and therefore does not need to be described in detail. The end portions 1' of the wipers 1 are recessed so as to receive the wiper extensions 2 so that the upper surfaces of the latter are flush with the upper surfaces of the wipers 1.

The arm 2" of each wiper extension 2 which extends in the same direction as the associated wiper 1 carries several, for example, five, leaf springs 7 directly adjacent to each other which have a curved shape as illustrated in FIG- URES 2 and 3. Each leaf spring has a front or working arm 7' which extends at an acute angle to the arm 2" of the associated wiper extension and is hooked over the edge of this arm 2" which faces the last. For this purpose, the front ends 7" of the springs 7 adjacent to the last are bent over backwards so as to engage over the mentioned edge of the arm 2" of the wiper extension. The working arm 7 of each leaf spring continues toward the rear into a spring part 7" which is bent away from the front part 7 toward the wiper extension and extends through and is slidable longitudinally within a guide element which consists of an upper part 8 and a lower part 9 which are connected by screws 10 and the lower part 9 of which is secured to the arm 2" of the wiper extension by screws 11. The upper side of the part 9 of the clamp is provided with recesses 12 into which the end port-ions of the spring parts 7" are inserted so as to prevent the leaf springs from turning in lateral directions. The free rear end of each leaf spring which projects from the guide element 8, 9 is provided with a slot 16 extending longitudinally of the spring, and it carries an adjustable screw clamp which consists of two parts 14 and 15 which may be clamped upon the upper and lower sides of the spring end by means of a screw 13 which extends through the upper part 14 and the slot 16 and is screwed into the lower part 15.

The screw clamp 14, 15 is primarily intended for preventing the spring 7 from being drawn forwardly out of the guide element 8, 9 and for thereby permitting the front end 7 of the spring to be hooked over the front edge of the arm 2" of the wiper extension. Clamp 14, 15 may, however, be further used for varying the angle between the working arm 7' of each leaf spring and the wiper extension 2. It is for this purpose only necessary slightly to loosen the clamping screw 13 and then to slide the rear part of the spring through the guide element 8, 9 so that the rear end of the spring projects from the guide element for the distance which is in accordance with the desired angularity of the working arm 7' of the spring relative to the wiper extension 2. The more the rear end of each leaf spring 7 projects from the rear edge of the guide element 8, 9, the smaller will be the angle between the working arm 7' of the spring and the wiper extension 2'. After the spring has been properly adjusted, the clamp 14, 15 is shifted along the spring end until it engages with the guide element 8, 9, whereupon the clamping screw 13 is tightened. The projecting spring end can thereafter not be drawn by the tension of the spring through the guide element 8, 9 further than allowed by the clamp 14, 15 and its engagement with the guide element 8, 9. Springs 7 are designed so that, due to their tension, their working arms 7' are first adjusted to the position which is required for properly lasting a shoe with the maximum slope of its shank portion which may occur in actual practice. Springs 7 are thus adjusted so that the angle between the working arms 7' thereof and the Wiper extensions 2 increases from one spring to' another in the direction from the ball to the shank of a shoe in accordance with the shape of the corresponding area of the bottom of the last. This means that the radius of curvature of the front end 7" of each spring which is hooked over the front edge of the arm 2" of the associated wiper extension increases from one spring to another in the direction toward the shank. This increasing radius of curvature is also controlled by a cover strip 17 (see FIGURE 3) which is screwed to the arm 2 of the wiper extension adjacent to its edge facing the last and the thickness of which increases from the ball toward the shank, as indicated in dotted lines in FIGURE 5.

In order to prevent the individual leaf springs from shifting laterally along the edge of the wiper extension facing the last, this edge is provided with projections 18 which separate the adjacent springs from each other.

As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the thickness of the lower guide part 9 which is directly secured to the wiper extension likewise increases from the ball toward the shank. Therefore, the upper surfaces of the shallow recesses 12 on which the springs are mounted are likewise inclined so that the working surface of the wiper extension which is formed by the working arms 7' of the springs thereon will be sloped in accordance with the inclination of the bottom of the last. Consequently, when the lasting tools are pivoted inwardly toward the last, the material of the upper will be pressed firmly against the insole.

By means of the clamps 14, 15, as previously described, it is not only possible to adjust the inclination of the leaf springs in accordance with the slope of the shank area of the particular shoe which is to be lasted, but these clamps also permit the tension of the individual springs to be adjusted to the most desirable strength.

Although my invention has been illustrated and described with reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, I wish to have it understood that it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but is capable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully disclosed my invention, what I claim is:

1. A lasting machine having lasting tools comprising wipers pivotable relative to each other toward an intermediate last for lasting the front part of a shoe, wiper extensions, means mounting an extension on each of said wipers so as to be pivotable together with said wipers from an initial position adjacent to the last to a working position in which they overlap the bottom of the last and the insole of a shoe thereon, a plurality of leaf springs adjacent to each other on each wiper extension, means for securing said leaf springs to said wiper extensions, each of said leaf springs having a working arm extending from the inner edge of one wiper extension facing the last toward the outer edge thereof at an acute angle to the side of said wiper extension facing the bottom of the last when said lasting tools are pivoted inwardly for folding the material of the upper of the shoe over the bottom of the last and to press it firmly thereon, adjusting means for adjusting said springs so as to vary the angle between the working arm of each spring and the wiper extension on which said spring is mounted, said securing means including guide elements secured to said wiper extensions, said working arm of each leaf spring being extended toward the rear to form a spring part which is first bent downwardly toward the wiper extension on which said spring is mounted and then in a direction substantially parallel to said wiper extension so as to form a substantially straight end portion, said end portion extending through and guided by said guide element so as to permit said end portion to be shifted in the longitudinal direction of said spring, and means connecting said adjusting means to the rear end of said spring projecting from said guide element for adjusting the distance which said spring may be drawn forward- 1y from said guide element when said lasting tools are in their initial position.

2. A lasting machine as defined in claim 1 in which said adjusting means comprising a clamp having two parts adapted to be secured to each other and to be clamped upon the opposite sides of the rear end of said spring projecting from said guide element.

3. A lasting machine as defined in claim 2, in which the rear end of said spring projecting from said guide element is provided with a longitudinal slot, and a screw passing through said slot for tightening said two clamp parts to each other and against said spring end, said screw when loosened being slidable with said clamp parts along said slot.

4. A lasting machine having lasting tools comprising wipers pivotable relative to each other toward an intermediate last for lasting the front part of a shoe, wiper extensions, means mounting an extension on each of said wipers so as to be pivotable together with said wipers from an initial position adjacent to the last to a working position in which they overlap the bottom of the last and the insole of a shoe thereon, a plurality of leaf springs adjacent to each other on each wiper extension, means for securing said leaf springs to said wiper extensions, each of said leaf springs having a working arm extending from the inner edge of one wiper extension facing the last toward the outer edge thereof at an acute angle to the side of said wiper extension facing the bottom of the last when said lasting tools are pivoted inwardly for folding the material of the upper of the shoe over the bottom of the last and to press it firmly thereon, adjusting means for adjusting said springs so as to vary the angle between the working arm of each spring and the wiper extension on which said spring is mounted, and the front end of each leaf spring including a portion hooked over the edge of the associated wiper extension facing the last.

5. A lasting machine as defined in claim 4, in which the edge of each wiper extension facing the last is provided with small projections intermediate the adjacent springs for preventing said springs from shifting laterally.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 17,339 6/1929 Spalsbury l212 X 511,906 2/1894 OBolger 1212 2,182,834 12/1939 Winkley 12-12 2,727,257 12/1955 Chandler et a1 12-12 X 2,955,302 10/1960 Schoenmakers 12-12 3,082,449 3/1963 Bowler et al 12l2 JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Examiner. 

1. A LASTING MACHINE HAVING LASTING TOOLS COMPRISING WIPERS PIVOTABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TOWARD AN INTERMEDIATE LAST FOR LASTING THE FRONT PART OF A SHOE, WIPER EXTENSIONS, MEANS MOUNTING AN EXTENSION ON EACH OF SAID WIPERS SO AS TO BE PIVOTABLE TOGETHER WITH SAID WIPERS FROM AN INITIAL POSITION ADJACENT TOGETHER WITH SAID WIPERS POSITION IN WHICH THEY OVERLAP THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST AND THE INSOLE OF A SHOE THEREON, A PLURALITY OF LEAF SPRINGS ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER ON EACH WIPER EXTENSION, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID LEAF SPRINGS TO SAID WIPER EXTENSIONS, EACH OF SAID LEAF SPRINGS HAVING A WORKING ARM EXTENDING FROM THE INNER EDGE OF ONE WIPER EXTENSION FACING THE LAST TOWARD THE OUTER EDGE THEREOF AT AN ACUTE ANGLE TO THE SIDE OF SAID WIPER EXTENSION FACING THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST WHEN SAID LASTING TOOLS ARE PIVOTED INWARDLY FOR FOLDING THE MATERIAL OF THE UPPER OF THE SHOE OVER THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST AND TO PRESS IT FIRMLY THEREON, ADJUSTING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING SAID SPRINGS SO AS TO VARY THE ANGLE BETWEEN THE WORKING ARM OF EACH SPRING AND THE WIPER EXTENSION ON WHICH SAID SPRING IS MOUNTED, SAID SECURING MEANS INCLUDING GUIDE ELEMENTS SECURED TO SAID WIPER EXTENSIONS, SAID WORKING ARM TO EACH LEAF SPRING BEING EXTENDED TOWARD THE REAR TO FORM A SPRING WHICH IS FIRST BENT DOWNWARDLY TO- 